Safe at Home
by forty five
Summary: The fear of losing one's child is the greatest fear of all. / follow Lucius as he fears his only child is dead; set during the final battle at Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows


The fear of losing a child is one that will chill you to the very core and allow you to do things you'd never imagined you'd do. Lucius Malfoy knows this fear very well as he so desperately searches for his only child; nearly eighteen years he's spent raising that one child and the thought of having not a day more _scares_ Lucius more than anything. He and Narcissa, as they search across the battle field, do not fight.

Lucius sees no point. He no longer wants to fight; he no longer cares. The sole thought racing through his mind is his son. Even if it costs him his life—even if it means betraying the Dark Lord or the Ministry of Magic, Lucius would find his son. He would choose that boy over the Ministry and the Dark Lord hundreds of times over. No amount of money or fame or power could ever replace a child.

As Lucius runs, he finds himself taking short walks down memory lane as he moves his head to look in every direction.

At age one, Draco speaks his first word.

At age two, Draco takes his first steps.

At age three, Draco begins to read exceptionally.

At age four, Draco drawing pictures with his father's expensive quill.

At age five, Draco setting fire to the music box Bellatrix gave him.

At age six, Draco excelling at Barbury Wizarding Primary School.

At age seven, Draco learning to fly a broomstick.

At age eight, finding Draco asleep in the entrance hall, waiting up for his father.

At age nine, Draco's first live viewing of a professional Quidditch match.

At age ten, Draco beginning to imitate his father.

At age eleven, Draco entering Hogwarts for the first time.

At age twelve, Draco making Seeker for the Slytherin team.

At age thirteen, Draco is injured.

At age fourteen, Draco attending the Yule Ball with Pansy Parkinson.

At age fifteen, Draco is appointed Slytherin Prefect.

At age sixteen, Draco is recruited by the Dark Lord.

At age seventeen, Draco is lost.

Suddenly, Lucius sees a flash of pale blond out of the corner of his eye. Running on pure instinct, he swivels and runs in that direction. He finds his son pinned against a Death Eater—a powerful one, at that. The spell is escaping Lucius' mouth before he can think and his wand raises; the spell hits the Death Eater, knocking him yards away and bringing Draco's attention one hundred and eighty degrees around.

Lucius pockets his wand and walks to his son. Draco bites his lip tentatively, waiting for his father to speak.

"Thank Merlin you're alive," Lucius says, hugging his son.

* * *

><p>Months later, in the dead of night, Lucius finds himself unable to sleep. His mind, like many other witches' and wizards', is stuck on memories of the war and the final battle. Careful not to rouse Narcissa, Lucius leaves their large bedroom and walks across the manor to his son's bedroom.<p>

As he opens the door, Lucius finds Draco caught deeply in slumber's cradle. The teenager's legs are tangled in his sheets, one arm tucked beneath his head and the other strewn across his abdomen, rising and falling with every breath; his jaw rests barely open and eyes fully closed. Silently, Lucius strides over and tugs the sheets closer to Draco before slipping out of the doorway once more.

"Checking on him again, Lucius?" Narcissa asks as she steps into the lit portion of the hallway. "This is the fourth time this week, Lucius. He's not going anywhere."

Lucius breathes a low sigh as he closes his son's bedroom door.

"How did you know?" Lucius asks his wife.

"Woman's intuition," she answers smoothly. "Now, come on back to bed. You're beginning to worry over Draco more than you did when he was a child."

"He is a child," he replies. "Still but a child…"

"A child safe at home." Narcissa reasons, taking Lucius' hand in her own. "Now let's go back to bed."

Lucius nods and, with a final glance to his son's bedroom door, leaves with his wife.

Draco, age eighteen, safe at home.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** In the book, Lucius and Narcissa didn't fight and instead searched for Draco. This was inspried by that.

I actually think Narcissa and Lucius are good parents. Sure, Lucius didn't make the best choices and caused his son to be forced into being a Death Eater, but I feel like he did care deeply for his son. And Narcissa - there's no question with her. She lied to the Dark Lord to protect Draco.

Also, in regards to the memory of Draco going to a wizarding primary school: JK never really mentioned how wizards and witches are schooled before Hogwarts. So I made it up. :)

I hope you enjoyed this :D


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